Dr. Jean Dodds tells us that limiting exposure to other dogs in public venues is the best way to keep your dogs safe from the canine influenza outbreak.Cornell University issued a press release on April 12, 2015 that states that the ongoing …

It seemed a long uphill climb for the Rabies Challenge Fund in 2005 when it formed a 501(c)3 organization to privately fund a rabies vaccine duration of immunity study.Rabies vaccine manufacturers would not take on the challenge; a study…

Dr. Jean Dodds, among the foremost pet health experts in the world, has weighed in on the pro's and con's of monthly heartworm preventative.As a rule, most of these drugs are well tolerated by a healthy animal. But as a rule, heartworm…

Nearly half the people who stayed behind during Hurricane Katrina stayed because of their pets. Helicopters and boats would come, but the rescuers largely refused to take cats and dogs. So many owners, unwilling to abandon a family member,…

All around the world, people are outraged by the trophy killing of Cecil the lion, and not simply because he suffered needlessly for days, or because lions are charismatic animals, or even because a rich white American killed a much-loved…

David Cassuto I could not be more proud of former student and research assistant, Jessica Astrof, for leading the legal battle on this! The Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos along with 20 additional plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in the New…

Animal Law Blog

Apologies (yet again) for how little I post on this blog anymore. This start-a-museum thing has really become quite the project!Anywho, as I've said before (and anyone reading this blog likely agrees with as well), an improvement in any…

A council has become the first in the UK to pass a motion banning the sale of controversial delicacy foie gras in its city.After a meeting in York, councillors voted in favour of a motion put forward by local Labour councillor Paul…

Animal health and human health are inextricably linked. So much so, that initiatives to unite human and veterinary medicine which have existed for centuries (as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association Hippocrates (“On…

I attended the 22nd Annual Animal Veterinary Medical Law Association’s Continuing Education Convention, as a speaker, in Boston this past week-end. This is always a fascinating meeting where veterinarians, attorneys, and those…

I’m running the San Francisco Marathon twice to raise awareness for animal rights and to benefit the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the only national organization dedicated to protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals…

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) are pleased to announce that Aurora Paulsen has been selected to receive the first-ever ALDF LL.M. Scholar Award in recognition of her academic and professional…

Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach

Someone wrote to me and said that a welfarist who promotes “cage-free” eggs and other forms of “happy exploitation” suggested that the abolitionist approach was limited and did not provide an effective program for…

Let’s Change the Conversation Right now, the discussion about animals is focused on treatment and how to “improve” animal exploitation. As of this time, there really isn’t any serious discussion about whether we should…

BBC News reports: Almost a quarter of men surveyed in a UN report looking at violence against women in parts of Asia have admitted to committing at least one rape. That is disgusting but not surprising. Rape and sexual assault are daily…

If you are served with legal papers it is important to determine what type of papers you received. Are you being sued or are you being called to court or a deposition as a witness. It is worth a call to a litigation attorney to help you…

Whether you have been sued or need to sue someone, it is important to know what to do both before the need for litigation arises. Careful record keeping and document organization are the best ways to help your business litigation attorney. …

Anyone who wants to buy a business needs to be cautious before signing an offer. It is critical to consult with a lawyer who is experienced in California business sales to guide you through the process. Very often the business purchase…

To all Virginia nonprofits, this is a reminder that May 15 is the deadline to renew your Form 102 with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs. Organizations that wish…

It seems sensible to conclude that an elderly injury causes greater harm than an injury earlier in life. Older people, for example, “are more likely to break bones in falls because many older people have porous, fragile bones.”1.…

A vehicle crash may do little, if any, harm to the vehicles. Many low-speed crashes, however, do a great deal of harm to their victims. Neck and back pain caused by a collision injury can persist for many months after an impact. It may still…

On July 24, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a notice seeking authorization from the Office of Management and Budget to evaluate habitat conservation banks established under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) through…

Whether dealing with water or with endangered species directly, there have been a number of recent developments that are worth keeping on your radar. Below is a quick summary of some of the more significant items: July 16,…

Whether dealing with water or with endangered species directly, there have been a numbers of recent developments that are worth keeping on your radar. Below is a quick summary of some of the more significant items: July 16,…

Equine Law Blog

Covers laws, legal developments, and "fine points" in the law that can have important consequences for businesses, associations, companies, non-profits, and individual horse owners. By Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC.

Private, Backyard Facility Could Qualify as an “Equine Activity Sponsor” Under Equine Activity Liability Law
As of July 20, 2015, 47 states– all but California, Maryland, and New York – have passed some form of an…

An online ad shows a beautiful horse for sale, and the buyer is drawn in. The ad describes the horse as a perfect show horse, unflappable trail horse, kid-friendly, easy-keeper, and free of vices. The price is low, and the buyer rushes to…

Yesterday, June 23, 2015 Michigan's Governor signed into law an amendment to Michigan's Equine Activity Liability Act ("The EALA"). The new amendment targets a portion of Michigan’s EALA involving its exceptions –sections of the…

The resumption of commercial horse slaughter in the United States was blocked on Friday, January 17, when President Obama signed a congressional budget bill that removed funding for USDA inspection of horse slaughter plants. This action…

In an order dated December 13, 2013, a copy of which can be downloaded here, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied an emergency motion for injunction pending appeal filed by the Humane Society of the United States…

As discussed in this prior post, the Humane Society of the United States and a variety of other groups and individuals brought suit to permanently enjoin the slaughter of horses at two plants that had been granted Food Safety Inspection…

Florida Animal Law

Hello everyone! You probably will have noticed that the updates here are getting fewer and farther between. I intend to keep this personal blog and its associated Facebook page, but I'd encourage you all to check out The Florida…

The November 2014 Florida Bar Journal is a special issue dedicated to Animal Law. It features articles on the state of animal law in Florida, Pet Trusts, Equine Lien Laws, an Integrated Animal Court Proposal, the law on dog bites, and…

Hug a Veteran. Thank a Veteran. Not only today, but each and every day. Give thanks that we still live in a free country. Stand up for your freedom and rights given to us under the constitution. Stand up for your right to work hard and be…

May you all have a joyous holiday season. Thank you for rescuing and adopting dogs and cats from the shelter and rescue groups. It is heartwarming to know our Anipal furiends have a warm bed and full tummy!Merry ChristmasHappyHanukkahGod…

House Veterinarians and Bipartisan Lawmakers Team Up to Make Soring a Thing of the PAST

Good news for horses: a bipartisan group of more than 100 members of Congress, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, joined together as original cosponsors of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act introduced last night in the…

It’s well established that malicious animal cruelty indicates a broader social pathology and lack of empathy, and the perpetrators often are indiscriminate in choosing victims – one day it’s a dog or a horse, another day…

If you live in one of five states with no laws preventing the private possession of dangerous wild animals, there’s no telling what kind of safety threats are looming in your own neighborhood. Dozens of Milwaukee residents reported…

Our dog bite attorneys recently filed a lawsuit in the Macomb County Circuit Court on behalf of an 18 year old client attacked by a dog. Our client was working as a meter reader for the utility company when the

A landscape worker bitten in the face by a dog while working at a residential property in the City of Troy received a $ 50,000.00 settlement. The gentleman was referred to our office by another law firm because of our

You wouldn't think it would pop up all that often...you have someone else's horse and you want the owner to take it back, but the owner refuses to accept their own horse! Because horses are expensive, an owner often wants the burden of…

1. Not using a contractWhen a client comes to me with a problem related to the sale of a horse, a trial period, a lease, or similar and I ask to see the contract...and there isn't one. Prevailing in a "he says" "she says" situation can…

Have you ever had an accident happen at the barn? Horses kick each other, a barn fire, wash rack injury? Being around horses is an inherently dangerous risk, and boarding barns should not be liable for injuries that occur as a…

The answer is mostly “yes” and judges typically have looked at pets as personal property and considered the usual factors in this analysis. However, in recent years pets, particularly dogs, have been the focus of custody disputes…

An elderly Italian woman has bequeathed 2 million euros worth of property to her beloved dog. Under her will, her dog Kikko will inherit, two apartments, several land estates, and bank accounts. Italian law does not give recognize the…

This article outlines the rush of bills relating to a range of issues regarding the treatment of animals. There is a bill prohibiting the use of dogs in the hunting of bears and bobcats. Another bill raises the penalties for those…

Tuck the Law Dog

Tuck is a legal beagle who works in a law office in Georgia. Tuck muses on animal rights, animal law, animal health, recent animal cruelty cases in all 50 states, and current events pertaining to animal rights and health (mainly dogs).

Hug a Veteran. Thank a Veteran. Be proud to be an American that upholds the freedoms in our Constitution. Do not succumb nor follow blindly those that want to take away life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Don’t allow ……

May all my furiends and their families have a very Merry Christmas and joyous holiday season. To all the hoomans, thank you for adopting and rescuing all the dogs and cats from the Animal Shelters. It is heart-warming to know ……

May all my furiends and their families have a very Merry Christmas and joyous holiday season. To all the hoomans, thank you for adopting and rescuing all the dogs and cats from the Animal Shelters. It is heart-warming to know ……